Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak is leaving late Oct. 12 for meetings in Poland and the Czech Republic, Ynet reported. Details on this previously unannounced trip are scarce, but according to the report, Barak's meetings will focus on the issues of "Iran's nuclear program as well as military industries." This is a meeting of critical significance given current tensions between Russia and the United States on the one hand, and a building crisis with Iran on the other. Central Europe sits in the middle of an ongoing U.S.-Russian geopolitical tussle, in which Russia has clear-cut demands for Washington to downgrade its military alliances with Poland and the Czech Republic. Russia intends to enforce these demands by hanging the threat of critical military and economic assistance to Iran over Israel and the United States.